The University of Mississippi’s Associated Student Body Senate voted Tuesday evening to condemn the Mississippi State Senate’s passage of Senate Bill 2113, “Critical Race Theory; prohibit.” Thirty-eight senators voted to pass the resolution.
“Mississippi Senate Bill 2113 undermines the quality and fundamental purpose of public higher education, which the University of Mississippi has financially invested in to bolster its merit and reputation in the past decades,” the resolution reads.
The resolution also points to SB 2113’s ambiguous language, the precedent Mississisippi would set by legislating academic material and the University of Mississippi’s own historical connections to slavery and injustice.
Jen Purcell, graduate student and senator at-large, is an author on the resolution.
“The MS State Senate passage of SB 2113 is a clear infringement on our academic freedom as students. What is so significant about attending a public higher education institution is that we have the opportunity to learn about the world through multiple lenses,” she said as to why she thinks considering the resolution was important. “As students, we are supposed to be training to be future leaders. How can we do that if we are not given the chance to look at all sides of the story? Why would they want us to be underprepared?”
Senate Bill 2113 is one of many anti-critical race theory bills nationwide, but Mississippi garnered national attention for 2113 when all 14 of Mississippi’s black senators walked out of the senate chamber in opposition to the bill, which their white colleagues proceeded to pass.
The bill has continued to receive widespread opposition since its passage a month ago.
In addition to SR 22-3, the ASB Senate also passed a resolution calling for the Department of Justice to hold a referendum vote on MyOleMiss in an effort to raise the Student Activities Fee to $2 per credit hour. Senate Bill 22-8, concerning the duties of legislation monitors, also passed.
